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Arts and culture

Grade 7

Expression and communication

Module 6

Drama: praise poetry

DRAMA

Activities for the learner

Activity 1:

To research and present an example of praise poetry: praise

[lo 4.2]

PRAISE

Last term we encountered poetry in the form of choral verse. This term we are going to explore praise poetry.

What is praise?

  • Praise is the act of expressing commendation and admiration.
  • Praise is the rendering of homage and gratitude to a deity.
  • Praise is to commend someone highly.
  • Praise is to proclaim the glorious attributes of someone or a deity with homage or thanksgiving.

Who can we praise?

  • Our God or gods
  • Our mother or father
  • Our best friend
  • Our boyfriend or girlfriend
  • Our educator
  • Our principle
  • Our president
  • Our country
  • Nature
  • Our favourite sports team or star
  • Our pop idol

Can you think of anyone you would like to praise?

Is writing or reciting a love poem praise poetry?

Your educator will give you a brief background on praise poetry before you attempt the following exercises.

If you do not understand something please ask your educator.

Exercise 1: research

Research and present the following to the class:

  • the history or background of praise and oral poetry;
  • at least one praise or oral poet, his or her works and background;
  • where and how praise poetry is presented;
  • in what way it has influenced South Africa today.

The presentation can consist of the following:

  • oral presentation;
  • written presentation;
  • audiovisual presentation.

Note: one of the above-mentioned, or all three can be used for the presentation

  • pictures
  • research
  • resources
  • video
  • recordings (CD, tape)

E xercise 2: warm-up

  • before you can proceed to the other exercise you have to participate in a proper warm-up routine in order for you to prepare your voice and body

The warm-up

Relaxation and posture

  • Stand with your feet slightly apart and slump forward as you stand.
  • Feel your stomach slacken, chest cave in and head fall on your chest.
  • Over a slow count of ten feel yourself growing.
  • The rib cage should lift away from the pelvis and the head rise to a poised position on the shoulders.
  • Repeat four times.
  • Raise your shoulders towards your ears.
  • Screw up your face.
  • Relax your face quickly, as if you have taken a mask off, until you feel all the wrinkles gone from the forehead and the muscles in your face feel free of tension.
  • Let your shoulders drop so that your arms hang easily by your sides.
  • Repeat four times.

Breathing

  • Place the back of your hands on your lower ribs and breathe in through your nose and gently out through your mouth.
  • Repeat eight times.

Note: do not take a lot of breath, just concentrate on feeling the movement of the ribs

  • Breathe in on the ribs and gently count to ten on a whisper
  • Feel that the whisper is just as strong at the count of nine and ten as it was at the count of one
  • Repeat eight times

Note: don’t let all the breath go at once.

  • Breathe in on the ribs and as you do so raise your arms sideways until they are above your head.
  • Note: there should be a slight sense of reaching for something above you, without tension in the shoulders and throat.
  • Pant gently, like a dog, feeling the movement of the diaphragm.
  • Pant in and out five times.
  • Then breathe out smoothly, using the air from the ribs, as you lower your arms to your sides.
  • Repeat eight times.

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Source:  OpenStax, Arts and culture grade 7. OpenStax CNX. Sep 10, 2009 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col11027/1.1
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